Castles in the Sand
by DragonQueenSori
Summary: Your typical fairytale: The beautiful princess is kidnapped by the bloodthirsty beast, and held prisoner in its lair. Except in this case, the princess isn't exactly beautiful. Or female. slash
1. Once upon a time

**Title:** Castles in the Sand

**Authors:** DragonQueenSori and Veritalias

**Summary:** Your typical fairytale: The beautiful princess is kidnapped by the bloodthirsty

beast, and held prisoner in its lair. Except in this case, the princess isn't exactly

beautiful. Or female.

**Disclaimer:** Naruto, and all things therein, are owned and copyrighted by Masashi

Kishimoto and VIZ media, respectively.

**Warning:** this story contains **slash**. This means that there will be boy-on-boy action of

the Neji/Gaara variety. The pairing is not up for deliberation; readers who dislike

this pairing or slash in general are welcome to leave now.

* * *

Chapter 1

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Kankurou asked, fidgeting slightly. The wooden puppet he held in his lap had been specially painted for the occasion; Kankurou's own face paint had been supplanted with blush and lipstick.

"Of course it is." Temari frowned at him, and reached over to whack him on the head with one of the flower-patterned china teacups. "See how happy Gaara is?"

Kankurou shot a sideways glance at his younger brother, who was rocking back and forth with his arms clasped about him protectively. Gaara was not wearing any of Temari's make-up, but the dark circles around his eyes were dark enough to fool anyone but his siblings.

He turned back to Temari, and shook his head silently.

"Well, he is," Temari huffed. "Spending time with family is important, especially after what happened to Uncle Yashamaru."

Gaara began to mumble unintelligible phrases, and his rocking motions increased dramatically.

"There, there," Temari cooed, patting Gaara on the sand shield that appeared around the distraught child when she came near. "I know you miss Uncle Yashamaru. We all do."

This did not seem to placate Gaara in the least, and eventually Temari abandoned the endeavor in favor of rescuing the last of the biscuits from Kankurou. Kankurou retaliated by shattering one of the teacups, and soon Temari's carefully organized tea ceremony had degenerated into a minor brawl between the two siblings.

When they separated, Temari had a shallow cut above her eye that bled sluggishly, Kankurou's eye had nearly swollen shut, and Gaara had apparently taken no notice of the proceedings. Shards of the broken teacup decorated the floor and table.

"That's it, I guess," Temari mumbled as she bent down to sweep up the detritus. "I'm sorry, Kankurou, Gaara... I just wanted to spend some time with you, with my family..." She trailed off blankly, and Kankurou watched with a sort of morbid fascination as she lifted a hand to wipe fiercely at her eyes. "You don't have to stay with me if you don't want..."

"No!" Kankurou shouted hastily, then quieted. "I mean, yes, we'll stay, Temari. We can do whatever you want. Family is important!"

"You'll stay?" Temari looked up at him through her bangs, and tears glittered at the corners of her eyes. "You mean it?"

"Yeah," Kankurou said gruffly, trying and failing to appear unaffected by his sister's tears.

"And... and you won't complain? You'll do what I ask?"

"Whatever you want, Temari."

"Great!" The tears vanished abruptly, and Temari bounced to her feet, abandoning the dustpan and brush on the floor. She grinned cheerfully at her brother's dumbfounded look. "I know what we can do!" She bounded out of the room, and bounced back in a moment later, book in hand.

Kankurou glanced skeptically at the book's title. "Aren't you a bit old for fairy-tales, Temari?"

"Not for me, silly, for Gaara! You see how devastated he is... he obviously needs something to cheer him up!"

Kankurou took a moment to silently and motionlessly express his disbelief through several complex eye maneuvers.

"Don't you roll your eyes at me!" Temari scolded, opening her book. "Sit down next to Gaara so I can start." She took a seat on the couch, and began to read aloud.

* * *

Gaara listened attentively to the story, eyes wider than usual. The complex plot and witty dialogue kept him spellbound, as Temari wove her web of words.

"And then the hero said to the monster, 'You will pay for kidnapping my one true love!' and he smote him with his katana, killing the monster instantly. The princess ran out of her tower, and they kissed passionately. They then got married and lived happily ever after."

"That story sucks," Kankurou grumbled. "Read something more interesting."

"Fine," Temari sniffed. "In that case, how about this one..."

Gaara tuned out the rest of the conversation in favor of talking to his protector. _Mother?_ he called mentally.

There was a small chuckle that came from the recesses of his mind. _Yes, my little Gaara?_ The voice was more of a growl than anything, but somehow managed to pull off a comforting tone.

_Mother? About what Temari was saying…_ Gaara trailed off, not quite sure how to continue. _...about true love._

Mother snorted derisively. _What about it?_

Gaara continued cautiously; Mother was like Temari, you couldn't predict her sometimes. _Does it really exist? Cause the story book said it does, but Uncle Yashamaru–_

Gaara was cut off by an angry growl from Mother. _Do not speak of that fool. He knew nothing. He said that no one would ever love you, but I love you Gaara. You made mother so happy when you killed those nasty sparrows that kept Mother awake._ The comforting tone was edged with pride and Gaara felt his chest swell. Mother was happy with him.

_So does this mean that there is such thing as true love? Is there really someone out there that will love me no matter what?_ Gaara hesitated. _Besides you, Mother._

Mother pondered the question for a minute, and Gaara got the impression that she was grinning widely. _Yes, there is such thing as true love. But I see no need for you to search for yours._

Gaara cocked his head to the side, confused. _But Mother, if I never find my true love, how will I find happiness? _

Mother's grin widened, giving the impression that she was bearing her multiple sharp teeth. _And who says you need your true love to find happiness? You only seek love because the fools in the village ignore you. You ignore the obvious solution._

_What is it, Mother?_ Gaara asked with a sort of resigned curiosity; he already knew what her answer would be.

Mother's voice dropped; it was now low and eager. _You should kill them. Make them pay for hurting you. Make them feel your pain._ Mother was laughing now, soft and low and dark, and Gaara shuddered minutely. The metal images he was receiving– of blood running in rivers over his hands, of mutilated organs and shredded skin– brought along with them the tiniest thrill of pleasure, one that Gaara did not want to contemplate just yet.

_But,_ Mother whispered, _if you truly desire this, then I have a deal for you._ Gaara nodded, he didn't feel as though it would have been safe to utter a noise of any sort. _You will tell your idiot of a father that once a month he is to deliver you a princess. A princess of your very own. _

_Why a princess?_ Gaara asked, the furrow between his eyebrows deepening in thought.

_Only the best for my Gaara_, Mother said, with the loving tenderness and the hint of bloodlust that Gaara had come to expect from his mother-figure.

_At the end of the month, on the day of the full moon, I will judge her worth. If she is your true love, I will leave her untouched. If not–_ Mother's voice trailed of a low chuckle, accompanied by the memory of soft skin tearing easily under sharp claws of sand –_let us just say that there will be one less princess in the world. Tell your pitiful excuse for a father that in exchange I will refrain from unleashing my wrath upon this meager village._

Gaara nodded, eyes wide. _Thank you, Mother._

_Run along now, little Gaara. Your princess is waiting._

Gaara ran.

* * *

The Kazekage looked down at the child in front of him, studying him intently. The boy was paler than usual, the rings around his eyes more pronounced. Particles of sand hung suspended in the air around him, shimmering faintly in the fading sunlight.

"A princess?" He rubbed a hand over the stubble on his chin. The request was odd, true, but if it kept Gaara from attacking the villagers, it might be worth it. "What will I get from this arrangement? Princesses are rather expensive, you know."

Gaara frowned pensively. "Mother says... Mother says she won't destroy the village. But she gets to kill the princesses who don't love me."

"Very well." The Kazekage's smile did not quite reach his eyes, but Gaara did not notice as he ran out of the office. Once the child was gone, the friendly expression melted into a calculating scowl.

Princesses were expensive, true, but there was no need to go that far for a child that had brought nothing to the village but pain and suffering. After all, how would Gaara know the difference between a normal girl and a princess? There were many poor or desperate families who would be willing to give up their daughters in return for some money or food. And as long as Gaara remained satisfied, the demon Shukaku would not terrorize his people.

It was a win-win situation, really.

**

* * *

Authors Notes:**

One fine morning, I was suddenly hit with inspiration to write a Neji/Gaara story. So I came up with a basic plot, and then decided to call up my dear friend Veritalias. We both liked it and decided to do a co-write. And here you have the prologue.

There'll be an explanation of what we did to the timeline in the next chapter. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

**Please Review!**


	2. Kidnapped

**Title:** Castles in the Sand

**Authors:** DragonQueenSori and Veritalias

**Summary:** Your typical fairytale: The beautiful princess is kidnapped by the bloodthirsty beast and held prisoner in its lair. Except in this case, the princess isn't exactly beautiful. Or female.

**Warning:** This story contains **slash**. This means that there will be boy-on-boy action of the Neji/Gaara variety. The pairing is not up for deliberation; readers who dislike this pairing or slash in general are welcome to leave now.

**Disclaimer:** (dis-claim-er) 1. A voluntary repudiation of a person's legal claim to something

2. disavowal: denial of any connection with or any knowledge of

3. A way of telling you I don't own Naruto

* * *

Chapter Two

_10 Years Later_

"Gaara, a– are you sure everything will be alright?"

The sunsets over the cliffs of Suna were a truly beautiful sight to behold. The elegant fusion of pink, blue and gold created the ideal contrast for the endless horizon of the desert.

The two figures standing on the cliffs on the outskirts of the village were not concerned with the magnificent view. A girl of roughly fifteen stood nervously by the edge with a boy of sixteen. The sight was not as romantic as an ignorant observer might assume. The girl's eyes darted about nervously, looking for an escape, while the boy's dark ringed eyes stared at her with a frightening intensity.

"Don't worry, princess; the wait is the worst part. Soon the sun will set and the moon will rise, and your fate will be decided." The boy's voice was flat and almost completely devoid of emotion.

The sun sank beneath the horizon with a final burst of light. The moon, seeming to gain strength with the death of the sun, gave off an even fiercer silver glow. Gaara closed his eyes and seemed to drink in the moonlight, his normally pale skin becoming translucent.

_Mother?_ he called mentally. _What is your judgment?_

Particles of sand rose from the ground to gently caress the girl. She was shaking badly now, small whimpers emerging from her throat as the sand wrapped curiously around her figure. _I'm sorry little Gaara, but it seems she is not the one._ The voice tried to sound sympathetic, but a hint of its dark eagerness seeped through the façade.

Gaara gave a mental sigh. That was to be expected. _Mother, you may do your work now._

Mother made an eager noise and a swirling maelstrom of sand reached from the ground towards the girl.

"I'm sorry princess, but you're not the one. I'm sorry." Gaara's monotonous tone betrayed none of the bloodlust that had drawn about as a result of his mother's excitement.

The girl gave a panicked shriek and tried to run. It was pointless: the cliff was to one side and the sand was to the other. Neither direction would lead to freedom; there was only one other option.

"Please– Don't kill me! I really don't deserve this! Please, I'm a good girl, I do what I'm told, I don't make trouble. Please, don't do this!" Sobs wracked her thin frame. "Please. Please."

The sand reached out to surround her in a rough embrace, drawing her closer to the edge of the cliff. The girl's cries became even more frantic. "Please, no! I don't deserve this! I didn't even want to do this! I'm– I'm–" She let out a choked sob, then screamed out, "I'm not even a princess!" The sand shot away from her like she had the plague.

Gaara's eyes widened and then narrowed dangerously. "What?" His voice was no longer apathetic; it was an angry hiss, with demonic undertones. His Mother's mental voice barraged his mind with a variety of bloody mental images.

The girl was sobbing uncontrollably at this point. "I–I'm just a p-poor village girl. M–my parents sold m–me to you for extra food." Her tear-stained face shone in the moonlight. "Please. Please."

"Run." Gaara's voice had returned to its unemotional state, but rage still lurked behind his sea-green eyes.

The girl looked up at him in startled hope. "What...?"

"Run. Run far away and never cross my path again. Should I ever see you..." Gaara's eyes narrowed with malicious intent. "I will kill you."

The girl nodded, looked out towards freedom. The sand fell back to the earth, moving in restless rivulets around Gaara's feet. She took a step, then hesitated, and looked back towards Gaara.

"Now!" Gaara roared.

She didn't need to be told twice.

* * *

"You lied to me."

This was not a conversation the Kazekage looked forward to having. All of his careful planning over the years had been derailed, and if he didn't deal with this carefully, Gaara might decide to destroy the village in retaliation. The Kazekage racked his brain for a way to salvage the situation and made a mental note to have the fool girl executed.

Impatient with his father's calculations, Gaara spoke again. "I want a real princess this time, and Mother agrees."

The Kazekage froze, then relaxed as he had an idea. "Gaara... you must understand that there are very few real princesses in the world. If you killed each one because she did not love you, as you have done with all the other girls who have been presented to you, there would be tremendous diplomatic repercussions. We would have gone to war, and you would have been hunted down for your actions."

Gaara blinked, startled at getting such a sensible argument. "I... I see."

"Furthermore, had I told you this when you were six, would you have believed me? Would you have understood? There was no way for me to explain this to you in terms you would understand, and you had your heart set on your princesses..." The Kazekage leaned back, and congratulated himself on an excellent improvisation.

"I understand your position," Gaara admitted after a moment's thought. "But... Mother is still unhappy. She says you promised her the blood of a princess."

The Kazekage sighed, and decided on Plan B. "Gaara... if I get you a real princess, you would have to promise not to kill her. After all, princesses are expensive, and it might even start a war. If I got you one, you would have to swear not to harm her."

"Very well."

"Then in that case, I would be willing to procure a princess for you. That is, if you still wish to have one...?"

"We had an agreement," Gaara stated flatly. "Mother didn't harm too many of your villagers, so you owe me a princess. I give you a month to get her here, or Mother says she will get angry."

With those parting words, Gaara disappeared in a flurry of sand, and the Kazekage closed his eyes wearily. He could feel the headache coming onto him. He whistled once, and one of the chuunin that guarded his office entered.

"Send messages to all of the council members: there is to be an emergency meeting, immediately. Tell them to come to my office."

"Yes, sir!" The chuunin bowed hastily and left.

* * *

A few moments later saw a variety of people arranged in a semi-circle around the Kazekage's desk. "What's your emergency?" one of the council members, a retired ninja, demanded.

The Kazekage sighed. "It seems that my son has discovered the deception and has decided to take matters into his own hands."

There was a moment of perfect, shocked silence, and then the chamber erupted into a flurry of excited conversation and wild shouts. An undercurrent of panic resounded throughout the room.

"Lord Kazekage, please!" The voice of one of the more ambitious council members rang out above the pandemonium. "We should just eliminate the pest! Things would be much simpler if we just–"

"Enough!" the Kazekage roared, his eyes narrowing in anger. "Do you not recall that we have already attempted to eradicate this problem, only to be met with failure? That those assassination attempts may well lead to the destruction of the entire village should the demon realize what is happening?"

The man sat down and did his best to vanish into the woodwork. Unfortunately, his lack of shinobi skills kept him from accomplishing this goal.

"Now, as I was saying, the demon has discovered that the 'princesses' he has been receiving for the past few years are not, actually, of noble blood. Luckily for us, he has not immediately begun the destruction of the village." Here the Kazekage favored the few council members with the audacity to utter noises of surprise with a frosty glare. "However, he has threatened the security of the village should we not procure a more suitable offering in a timely manner."

Further cries of outrage echoed throughout the chamber. "If this is going where I think it's going, then I refuse. I will never have my daughter given to that beast," boldly boasted a wealthy merchant councillor, and the remainder of the council nodded in silent agreement.

The Kazekage smiled slowly, baring each tooth in turn. "Now, now... whoever said that we had to use our own princesses?"

The silence echoed throughout the chamber as the Kazekage's grin was adopted by each of the council members. The moment was ruined by the scribe, who looked up from his scroll with a rather curious expression on his face. "Where would this princess come from, my lords?"

Chaos erupted once more as the council began to argue amongst themselves. "We should take her from Mist, everyone knows their defenses are weak."

"Mist! Are you insane? Everyone knows they got rid of their most prodigious clans because of bloodlines! We should steal her from Cloud!"

"What about Leaf?" the Kazekage suggested almost lazily. The possibility was immediately pounced upon by the councilors.

"Leaf? But they're one of the largest ninja villages in existence! Not to mention that would violate our alliance!"

"Exactly! They're our allies! That means they'd never suspect us of this crime."

"Yes, it would be simple enough for us to blame the crime on another village. Not to mention Leaf has a wide selection of clans for us to choose from."

"But which clan?"

"If only the Uchiha hadn't been annihilated! There's no way the demon could dispute an Uchiha's royalty!"

"What about Hyuuga? It's said that the Uchiha clan sprouted form a branch of the Hyuuga. And the Hyuuga have been members of Leaf since its foundation!"

"Fool! The Hyuuga aren't known as deadly for nothing! Or have you forgotten what happened to the last kidnap attempt?"

"But it's been years since then. The Hyuuga have gotten lax in their security by now. And it would be easy to pin the blame on Cloud because they've attempted this before."

"Agreed. There will be gaps in their armor by now."

"Hyuuga, my lord. It has to be them. They're as close to royalty as we can get and their heiress is supposed to be a pushover. With past kidnap attempts, it will be easy to pin the blame on someone else." The council spokesman summarized the discussion and waited to hear the Kazekage's judgment.

Their leader mulled it over for a moment and nodded. "Yes, I suppose it could work. Dismissed!" The council stood and walked out through the double doors.

Once the council had dispersed, the Kazekage only had to wait a moment more before two masked shinobi teleported silently into the office. He leaned back into his seat and scrutinized them both.

"You are two of the best operatives I have in the entire village," he began without preamble, "And you are the only two I would trust with a mission of this magnitude. I have an unranked mission that I need completed, one that required the utmost secrecy. Are either of you willing to do it?"

The shinobi glanced at each other, then back at the Kazekage. "We would be honored to carry out your mission, Lord Kazekage."

"Very well," the Kazekage smirked behind his hat. "Here is what I need you to do..."

* * *

The meeting room of the Hyuuga compound, like most of its kind, was stuffy and uncomfortable. The room could be described as utilitarian as best, and bare at worst. The long oaken table was surrounded by a dozen straight-backed and uncomfortable chairs, and the blank white of the walls was aggravated by the harsh lighting.

The purpose of the room was to keep people awake and alert, a state of affairs that a more comfortable setting would be unable to achieve. It was also supposed to inspire the unlucky victims to get out of there as soon as possible. Even the stiff Hyuuga leaders refused to remain in the room any longer than absolutely necessary.

The rest of the Hyuuga elders had responded reluctantly to Hiashi's summons, and they sat still and silent in their cold, hard chairs. No trace of their discomfort was visible on their faces, or audible in their disinterested tones.

"Lord Hiashi, the majority of us have duties that must be dispensed with forthwith; you cannot waste our valuable time. What is your emergency?"

Hiashi stood from his seat at the head of the table, his stress clearly broadcasted through his tense stance and clenched fists. "I have received word that a kidnapping attempt will be made upon our family. The perpetrator is reported to have an interest in the Main House, which suggests that the most likely target will be Hinata."

An elderly Hyuuga elder spoke up. "How have you come by this knowledge? We have received no warning of this!" Suspicion coated both his voice and the glare he sent in Hiashi's direction.

Hiashi was unimpressed by this show of bravado. "My source must remain secret for fear that his name may fall upon the wrong ears."

"With all due respect, Lord Hiashi, this is hardly the emergency we expected. The solution to this quandary is easily divined. The surest defense would be a bodyguard to shadow the heiress's every move; in this manner, Hinata will not be overwhelmed by any possible attackers."

"Very well. Your advice is sound; who would you suggest we send to guard my daughter?" Some of the more obvious tension had eased from Hiashi's body.

"It must be a member of the Branch House, one with the necessary skills and preferably with an emotional attachment to the heiress. To this effect, I propose we assign Branch House member Hyuuga Neji to guard the heiress." There was a general noise of agreement from the rest of the elders.

Hiashi regained the tension that had dissipated moments before, and his eyes narrowed in slight suspicion. "Is there no other Branch House member we can assign in Neji's place?"

"Lord Hiashi, do you insinuate that Neji is incapable of carrying out these duties? Or do you believe him unqualified for his current status as a jounin?"

"No. My nephew has proved himself worthy of the Hyuuga name, for all that he is a member of the Branch House." Hiashi's voice took on an unnecessarily sarcastic tone, one that went unnoticed by the majority of the Hyuuga present.

"Lord Hiashi," here the speaker's voice softened considerably, "it is understandable that you have developed a slight fondness for your nephew, but you must remember that it is his duty as a member of the Branch House to serve the Main House, and his skills would be invaluable here. Would you endanger the future of the clan simply to pander to your emotions?"

"Very well; I shall do as you have suggested. One of you may have the privilege of making the announcement to Neji; I will break the news to Hinata myself." Hiashi nodded to the elders; they stood as one, bowed, and left the room.

Hiashi was the last to go, and he left the uncomfortable room without a backwards glance.

* * *

Breathe in, breath out. Control. That was the key. Control of yourself was control of your surroundings. Control of your surroundings was control of your opponent. Control of your opponent was victory. And victory was key.

Neji liked this training ground. It was out of the way and deserted, and therefore less prone to interruptions. People had long since learned to leave him alone while training; he was therefore surprised when a Hyuuga elder interrupted his daily meditation session.

Neji stood in one smooth, fluid motion, and bowed as deeply as he could. His shock was well hidden by the trademark Hyuuga mask. The main branch didn't have much to do with him besides make sure he didn't stray from the flock. Visits from the esteemed elders were few and far between.

"How might I be of service to you?" Neji asked politely, suddenly conscious of the disheveled condition of his clothing.

The elder gave Neji a distasteful look. "I'm afraid that there is a bit of a crisis in our family, and your services are needed."

"And what might the family need of me?" Exhaustion had set in; Neji's mind was clouded from his training. At any other time, such an impertinent inquiry would have earned Neji a dose of pain; the elder chose to ignore the lapse in protocol in favor of answering Neji's question.

"Neji, it has been revealed to us that Hinata is in peril: it is believed that there will be a kidnapping attempt made very soon. In order to safeguard the secrets of the clan, we have elected you to become her bodyguard."

"Why have I been selected for this task, honored elder? Surely there are many more suitable guardians for the heiress?" Neji did not allow any trace of his curiosity to show on his face; such a display of emotions was too common for even a Branch House member of the ancient and noble Hyuuga clan.

"Your skills are quite formidable, not to mention that your emotional attachment to the heiress will provide you with an added incentive for you carry out this task to the best of your capabilities." The elder paused, then added delicately, "And, of course, your status as a Branch House member makes you the ideal candidate for the task."

Neji stiffened slightly, but remained silent; the elder continued on regardless. "In any case, would you not jump at the opportunity to prevent a situation like the one that caused your father to sacrifice his life for the clan? As the fate of the Branch House members is to serve and protect the Main House, you have a chance to follow in your father's footsteps. We would not force you to perform this duty; it is your choice."

There was no other option. To refuse now was to invite pain, courtesy of the seal. Neji wasn't fooled; the man's fingers were itching to use the handseal that would inflict pain at the slightest sign that Neji was going to refuse. Disobedience to the Main House was strongly discouraged.

"I would be honored to assume such a noble duty, honorable elder." Neji was unable to keep a trace of sarcasm from coloring his words; true to his prediction, the elder had performed the handseal before Neji could move to apologize.

By the time Neji had picked himself up off of the ground, the elder had long since disappeared. He stood shakily, limbs trembling with remembered pain, and walked into the compound to the best of his abilities.

* * *

Twin shadows drifted silently through the streets of the village, as silent as the moon that lit their path. Unseen and undetected, they made their way towards their final destination... the Hyuuga compound, where their prey currently resided.

They were stopped by three feet of barbed wire, sentries posted every ten feet, and bright floodlights that illuminated the entire area around the compound.

One of the shadows turned to the other. "Huh. Looks like they had word of our arrival. Now what do we do?"

"Now..." The other shadow smirked and pulled a vial of clear liquid out of a conveniently placed pocket. "Now we use this."

"What is it?" Curiosity was evident in the first shadow's voice.

"It's just knock-out gas, but it's completely undetectable and it lasts for up to two days... Since these are trained shinobi, I'll give it about eight hours. Put on your gas mask, and let's get started."

"Right! Let's go capture us a princess!" the shadow cheered.

"Shut up, you moron!"

* * *

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience, Neji," Hinata stuttered as she poked her index fingers together in a gesture of nervousness and unease. "I know how much you dislike spending time in my presence..."

The two shinobi were sitting in Hinata's room, where Hinata was perched awkwardly on her futon while Neji was occupying the far corner, his eyes ever alert.

Neji scowled, and Hinata shrank back from him. His expression softened then, and he reached a hand out towards her. "I do not hate you, Lady Hinata, nor am I upset at having to spend time with you."

"Really?" Hinata asked, a small smile lighting her face.

"Yes," Neji nodded firmly. "If I had fewer missions and more time in between training sessions, I would spend more time with you. Unfortunately, if I am not around to temper the enthusiasm of my teammates, they would quickly wreak havoc upon the entire village."

"Thank you, Neji," Hinata murmured.

"Don't mention– did you hear something?" Neji stood quickly, and took two steps forward. "Lady Hinata?"

"Neji, I–" Hinata choked suddenly, fingers grasping at the air. "I–" She froze in place, and toppled forward into her futon.

Neji tried to run to her side, but was hampered by the fact that his limbs no longer seemed to move as usual. The room began to tilt around him, and he lurched forward, landing on his face next to his cousin on the futon.

As his eyes drifted closed, he could only bemoan that fact that he had failed her yet again...

* * *

In the light of the moon that streamed through the shattered window at one end of the room, the shadow was revealed to be a dark grey-clad figure of medium height and weight, with spiky blue hair and a monkey mask. The shadow surveyed the room, taking in the unconscious bodies lying on the futon.

On his belt, a portable radio crackled to life. "Hey, you! Are you done yet?"

The shadow unclipped the receiver from the device and brought it closer to his mouth. "Hey, you're sure this is the right room, right?"

There was an audible sigh from the other end. "Yes, it's the right room. Now hurry up and grab the heiress!"

"But... there are two people here!" The shadow's voice lifted several octaves in well-concealed panic.

"What?"

"There's two people on the bed, both dressed like shinobi."

"The heiress is a ninja, didn't you know? The other must be a bodyguard. Describe them to me."

The shadow inspected the figures closely. "One of them has short hair, and is wearing feminine clothes... the other one has really long hair and is wearing really baggy masculine clothes."

A second sigh was transmitted through the radio. "Idiot... it's so obvious! Clearly, they intended to throw us off target by switching their clothes... Grab the long-haired one and let's go."

"Right. On my way." The shadow grabbed the target, slung the body over his shoulder, and leapt out of the broken window, the only sign of his passing a tiny thread that caught on the broken shards of glass on the way out.

The shadows and their prey left the way they had come, bypassing the village's defenses easily, and vanished into the night.

Twelve hours later, Hinata woke up with a splitting headache, rumpled clothes, and the unsettling feeling that something had just gone very, very wrong.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

So, this being an AU to some degree, we've done some things to the general plotline. Orochimaru went to Grass for help during the Chuunin exams, so the Kazekage's still alive and Gaara's not as stable as he would have been otherwise. Also, Sasori has not become a rogue nin. Further changes to the origional plot will be posted as we see fit.

And as life is crazy, you should all be forewarned that this will update sporadically at best. Seriously, statistics say you all have a better chance of being punched in the face by a silverback than this updating again within the next month or two. Sorry.

**Please Review!**


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